Chrysanthemum plant named ‘CIFZ0073’

ABSTRACT

A new garden type Chrysanthemum plant named ‘CIFZ0073’ particularly distinguished by the medium size plant with upright to outwardly spreading and uniform mounded plant habit, a medium size (4.4 cm), dark lavender flower color and a natural season response mid-September.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Chrysanthemumx morifolium.

Varietal denomination: ‘CIFZ0073’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Chrysanthemum, botanically knownas Chrysanthemum x morifolium, and hereinafter referred to by thevariety name ‘CIFZ0073’.

‘CIFZ0073’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivarhas medium size plant with upright to outwardly spreading and uniformmounded plant habit, a medium size (4.4 cm), dark lavender flower colorand a natural season response mid-September.

‘CIFZ0073’ originated from a cross made in September 2008 in Tenjo,Columbia. Seeds were sown in June 2013 in Gilroy, Calif. and ‘CIFZ0073’was selected from the resulting population on October 11 in Monroeville,N.J.

The female parent was the variety ‘Zanmufive’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.19,791.

When compared to the female parent, ‘CIFZ0073’ has:

-   -   a similar flower type but smaller in size and flower dark        lavender (almost purple) flower color not red like ‘Zanmufive’.    -   a couple days slower blackcloth response and one week slower        natural season response than ‘Zanmufive’.    -   a bit larger overall plant size and fuller and rounder plant        habit than ‘Zanmufive’.

The male parent was the unnamed seedling ‘04-M277’.

When compared to the male parent, ‘CIFZ0073’ has:

-   -   a bit larger flower size with less disc florets and not as dark        of a purple flower color as the male parent.    -   a similar blackcloth response and similar natural season        response as the male parent.    -   a similar plant size and plant habit in the natural season but        distinctly rounder/less upright plant habit in blackcloth than        the male parent.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘CIFZ0073’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative stem cuttings were propagated from the initial selectionin January 2014 in Mebane, N.C.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in January 2014 and continuing thereafter, has demonstratedthat the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for‘CIFZ0073’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

‘CIFZ0073’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for.‘CIFZ0073’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effectivefiling date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that mayhave been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date ofthis application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘CIFZ0073’directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinctvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘CIFZ0073’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type.

The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1 a close view of flower of thenew variety and in FIG. 2 a flowering plant from an outdoor trial.

The aforementioned photographs: FIG. 1, as well as FIG. 2, were taken inAugust 2018 both showing a plant from the same blackcloth indoor trialin Gilroy, Calif.

These plants were about 10 weeks of age. One rooted cutting per pot hadbeen planted in a one gallon pot, not pinched in week 24, and blackclothed from week 25. Plants started flowering in August.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in Gilroy, Calif. in August 2018 on theplants from the aforementioned trial.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2015.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘CIFZ0073’ AND ‘CIFZ0003’:‘CIFZ0003’ (U.S. Plant ‘CIFZ0073’ Pat. No. 23,762) Flowering SimilarSimilar response (blackcloth): Flowering Similar Similar response(natural): Plant habit Similar plant size but Similar plant size butplant and size: plant habit is a bit more habit is a bit more roundupright Plants, stems, Sturdier plant/less apt to Softer plant/more aptto split flexibility: split Flower shape, Similar flower form withSimilar flower form with size, color: larger flower size and smallerflower size and similar flower color but similar flower color but moretwo-tone look with more uniform flower color darker flower center

TABLE 2 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘CIFZ0073’ AND ‘GEDI TWOPAD’ ‘Gedi Two Pad’ (U.S. ‘CIFZ0073’ Plant Pat. No. 14,501) Flowering 1week faster 1 week slower response (blackcloth): Flowering SimilarSimilar response (natural): Plant habit Rounder plant habit with Moreupright plant habit or size: similar or a bit shorter with similar or abit plant size bigger plant size Flowering: Flowers more uniformlyFlowers less uniformly Flower Similar flower size, with Similar flowersize, with longevity: darker flower color and lighter flower color andless disk florets more disk florets

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Herbaceous garden-type, stems            upright and outwardly spreading, freely branching, strong            and moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height (above soil).—16-21 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—19-24 cm.        -   Plant width.—36-40 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—About 4 days at about 22°            C.        -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—14-16 days at            22° C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A.        -   Immature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 137B.        -   Mature leaf, color, upper surface.—RHS 137A.        -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 137B.        -   Length.—6.1-6.2 cm.        -   Width.—4.3-5.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate, with distinct lobes.        -   Base shape.—Attenuate.        -   Apex shape.—Mucronate.        -   Length of terminal leaf lobe.—Medium.        -   Margin.—5-lobed (palmate), edge dentate.        -   Leaf margin number of indentation.—Few.        -   Depth indentation.—Shallow.        -   Depth of lowest lateral sinus.—Shallow.        -   Stipule.—Not present at the leaf petiole base.        -   Upper surface.—Bifid hairs.        -   Lower surface.—Bifid hairs.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 138B.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 138A.        -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 138A.        -   Petiole length.—2.1-2.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3-0.4 cm.        -   Hairs.—Covered with bifid hairs.-   Stem:    -   -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—6-8.        -   Color of stem.—RHS 138B.        -   Length of stem.—6 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.7 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—1-2 cm.        -   Hairs.—Bifid hairs.        -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 138A.        -   Length of peduncle.—5.3 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Hairs.—Bifid hairs.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Compositae, solitary, decorative type inflorescences            borne terminally above foliage, ligulate ray and sometimes a            few disc florets arranged on a capitulum.        -   Quantity of short days to flowering (response            time).—Approximately 5 weeks.        -   Natural season flowering.—Mid-September.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—180-220.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About five            weeks from first color.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly spicy.-   Bud (when showing color):    -   -   Color.—RHS 61A.        -   Length.—1.4 cm.        -   Width.—1.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblate.-   Immature inflorescence:    -   -   Diameter.—3.5 cm.        -   Color of ray florets, upper surface.—RHS 70B.        -   Color of ray florets, lower surface.—RHS 70C.-   Mature inflorescence:    -   -   Diameter.—4.1-4.5 cm.        -   Depth.—1.3-1.4 cm.        -   Total diameter of disc.—0.3 cm.        -   Receptacle color.—RHS 145A.        -   Receptacle height.—0.3 cm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—0.3 cm.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Average quantity of florets.—Between 100-120 in several            whorls.        -   Color of florets, upper surface (at moment of            senescence).—RHS 77B.        -   Color inner surface (at moment of senescence).—RHS 77C.        -   Length.—2.8 cm.        -   Width/diameter.—0.5-0.6 cm.        -   Length of corolla tube.—Short.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex shape.—Most obtuse and dentate.        -   Base shape.—Tube.        -   Margin.—Entire, small incisions may occur at the tip.        -   Type of rolling of the ray floret margin.—Flat.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Papillate.        -   Lower surface.—Papillate.-   Disc florets: 10.    -   -   Width.—0.1 cm.        -   Length.—0.3-0.4 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 61B at apex, RHS N144C at base.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Quantity.—20-22.        -   Color, upper surface.—RHS 137D.        -   Color, lower surface.—RHS 138A.        -   Length.—0.2-0.4 cm.        -   Width.—0.1-0.15 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Canescent.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistil.—One.        -   Length.—0.4 cm.        -   Style color.—Between RHS 150A and RHS 150B.        -   Style length.—0.3 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 7C.        -   Stigma shape.—Bi-parted.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 145C.        -   Ovary length.—0.15 cm.        -   Ovary width.—0.1 cm.-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamens.—1, found on only disc florets.        -   Color of filaments.—RHS 3B.        -   Length filaments.—0.2 cm.        -   Anther color.—RHS 13B.        -   Anther length.—0.2 cm.        -   Anther shape.—Oval to club shaped.        -   Color of pollen.—RHS 13B.        -   Pollen amount.—Rather poor.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Limited fertility.        -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date.        -   Plant hardiness zone or heat/cold resistance.—Has not been            determined to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plantnamed ‘CIFZ0073’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.